Burlington Skyway bridge reopens after winds force afternoon closure
Tractor-trailer 'rolled over like a wave,' says driver
Ontario Provincial Police closed both directions of the Burlington Skyway bridge for several hours on Wednesdayafternoon because of "extreme winds" that caused a tractor-trailer to flip over.
Police reopened both lanes of the bridge at 5 p.m.
Around noon, a transport truckwas blown over on its side by the wind, forcing closure of the Fort Erie-bound lanes. Shortly after, policeshut down the bridgebecause of the blustery conditions.
Burlington Skyway closed in both directions due to high winds and a rolled over transport truck pic.twitter.com/mmapeKmWDx
—@OPP_HSD
James Estepp was driving the truck when it rolled.
"What happened is that they had signs out saying slow down due to high winds," said Estepp, a driver from Texas.
"I had slowed down ... and the traffic was going like maybe 50 km/h, and the next thing I knew, the back of the trailer starting rolling over, and I was trying to adjust for it, but it just kind of rolled over like a wave."
Estepp is anexperienced driver and saidhe has never been involved in a collision. He drives on the Skyway a couple of times a month and has had to deal with windy conditions on it before.
Butthe transport truck driver said he might considera career change.
"I'm going to become a pilot, now that I can fly," he told CBC News.
No one was injured during the rollover, and police saidthe transport truck was not carrying a load.
Crews were on scene "fighting with the wind," saidSgt.KerrySchmidt, a spokesperson for the police.
The #Skyway bridge is closed so some drivers backed right out. pic.twitter.com/j7h28qnSr6
—@nicolebrockbank
The QEW was closed from Eastport Driveto North ShoreBoulevard, causing major delays in the area for more than five hours.
90 km/h wind gusts
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement earlier today,calling for wind gusts of up to 90 km/h this afternoon.
The Garden City Skywaynear St. Catharines, Ont., has also been closedbecause of highwinds.
Winds are expected to diminish early in theevening, theweather agency says.
CLEARED: COLLISION: #QEW Burlington Skyway Toronto and Fort Erie bound lanes are now OPEN.^lp
—@OPP_GTATraffic
Route 12, 15, 16, 18, 40 & 47 #GObus delays of 30-90 mins due to overturned tractor trailer on Burlington Skyway; https://t.co/LDlSJI5lV2.
—@GOtransit